Fruit-cleaner



( No Model.)

W. H. PERRY.

FRUIT CLEANER.

No. 447,901. Patented Mar. 10, 1891.

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NITED TATES ATENT FFICE.

FRUIT-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,901, dated March 10, 1891.

Application filed July 16, 1890. Serial No. 358,943. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILTON H. PERRY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fruit Cleaners and Graders, of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which similar numerals of reference designate like or equivalent parts wherever found throughout the several views.

The object of this invention is to provide a fruit cleaner and grader by which fruits, and especially the smaller fruitssuch as berries, currants, and the likemay be cleaned of all foreign substances and the small, imperfect, or soft berries or other fruits separated from the larger, hard, and perfect ones by means of a device simple and economical in construction and rapid and automatic in its operation.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a central vertical section of my improved fruit cleaner and grader, the various parts thereof. being combined and in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the main or lower portion of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the upper portion thereof, and Fig. 4is a modification of a portion of the construction shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the referencenumeral 2 indicates a box of any preferred construction, preferably rectangular and oblong in form. Pivoted or hinged within this box, at 3, is a screen or separator 4, consisting of a rectangular frame having end pieces 5 and 6, a bridge or bearing 7, and a number of longitudinal wires 8. This screen or separator is so arranged as to drop down within the box 2 and rest upon a lug or projection 9 when the device is not in use, and pivoted or hinged to the end piece 6 or to one of. the sides of the screen is a bar 10, which by means of a ratchet 11 holds the head of the screen 4,

- to which it is attached, at any desired altitude when the device is in operation, as hereinafter described. The wires 8 are attached to the under side of the end piece 5 by means of a hook or other device, and after passing over the bridge 7 in the manner shown are each connected with the eye of a bolt 12, which passes through the end piece 6 and is provided With a screw-thread and thumb-nut 13, whereby the tension of each wire may be regulated separately, as desired. The upper surfaces of the end piece 5 and bridge 7 are provided with small notches or grooves 14, in which the wires 8 rest and by which they are held in any desired position, and by means of these notches 14 the spaces between the wires may also be regulated and the grade of the screen or separator thus determined. I prefer to place the bolts 12 through the end piece 6, in a series of vertical or inclined rows of three or four each, as shown in Fig. 1, in order to gain more space for the thumb-nuts 13, as the wires 8 are usually arranged quite close together, and if the bolts 12 were placed in a corresponding horizontal plane the operation of the means for regulating the tension of the wires would be more difficult.

The bottom of the box 2 is preferably divided into three compartments 15,16, and 17, each of which is provided with a removable drawer or other receptacle which may be removed from the box by means of openingsin the side thereof, and connected with these compartments are other features of the device, the construction and operation of which will be hereinafter described.

Pivoted or otherwise attached to the side walls of the screen 4, at '18, and supported on the end of said screen, is a second rectangu-' lar box 19, a top plan view of which is shown in Fig. 3. \Vithin this box 19 is a compartment 20, which occupies about two-thirds of the space therein, and the top thereof is provided with a screen or separator 21, consisting of a rectangular frame and a series of wires 22, arranged closer together than those of the screen t. These wires extend longitudinally across the top of the chamber or compartment 20, as shown in Fig. 3, and may be held in place in any desired manner. An inclined guide-plate 23 extends from the top of the inner side wall of the compartment 20 and foot of the screen 21 to the head of the screen and contacts therewith, preferably at or just below the bridge 7, and deflecting plates or guides 24 and 25 are pivoted to the inner walls of the box 19 at 26 and 27, respectively.

ICO

, The operation of this apparatus is as follows: The head of the screen 4 being elevated to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the box19 with its screen 21 being placed in position thereon, the fruit, berries, or other articles to be cleaned and graded are poured into the box .19 in front of the deflector 24 and pass down onto the screen 21, and by reason of the inclination thereof gravitate rapidly downward over the wires 22, and all small foreign substances, such as dirt, &-c., are separated from the fruit, berries, or other articles and fall into the compartment 20, from which they may be removed at 28. The fruit, berries, or other articles being cleaned and freed from dirt, &c., pass downward over the guideplate 23 to the head of the screen 4, and in passing rapidly over this all the smaller ones and substances of a like size fall through between the separate wires 8 of this screen, and falling upon an inclined plate or diaphragm 29 pass directly into the compartment 15, while the larger fruit, berries, or other articles pass onto the foot of the screen. Those that are overripe, soft, or of irregular form move slowly, and, striking against a pivoted plate or deflector 30, are directed backward and downward onto an inclined plate or diaphragm 31, over which they pass into the central compartment 16, while the sound, hard, and perfectly-formed berries, fruit, or other articles being cleaned, moving more rapidly,'pass over the top of the deflector 30 and fall into the compartment 17. This deflector 30 is hinged or pivoted at 32, and the angle of inclination of the same, as well as that of the deflectors 24 and 25, may be varied at will, and by thus adjusting such deflector 30 the upper end thereof is brought nearer to orfarther from the foot of the screen 4, thus regulating the grade of the berries, fruit, or other articles deflected by it into compartment 16, as the farther away it is carried from the bottom end of the screen 4 the greater quantity it will catch. The same result may also be reached by raising or lowering the head of the screen 4 by means of the rod 10 and ratchet 11, thus accelerating or retarding the motion of the berries, fruit, &c., over the screen.

By means of this apparatus not only are all thesinall foreign substances removed from the fruit, berries, or other articles, but the latter are also assorted and graded,the.small, green, or imperfect ones, those that are OXGP- ripe, irregular, or soft, and those that are perfeet in form and quality being each deposited in a separate compartment or receptacle.

The operation of this apparatus is simple and effective, and requires no special care or skill.

The inclination of the screens4and 21 may be regulated by the rod 10 and ratchet 11, and the operation of the device thus controlled, as it will at once be seen, so that the berries, fruit, or other articles being carried over the screens by force of gravity alone will move faster or slower, according as the inclination of the screens is increased or diminished.

I have shown in Fig. 4 a form of screen which I prefer to usein cleaning and grading certain kinds of berries, fruits, and articles, and for some purposes this form of screen is superior to that shown in Fig. 2, This screen differs from that hereinbefore described only in that the spaces between the separate wires thereof increase in width from the head to the foot thereof, as shown in Fig. 4, and may be made by simply readj usting the position of the wires 8 at the foot.of screen 4. This form is intended as a subsl itute for that shown in Fig. 2 in assorting and grading the larger varieties of berries and other fruits, and in such cases will probably be found much superior to a screen having parallel wires. In cases where it is desired to use this form it would probably be preferable to provide an-. other compartment in box 2, having a plate or diaphragm leading thereto, as shown 1n dotted lines in Fig. 1, in order that the berries, fruit, or other articles passing through the upper part of the screen would be deposited in a different compartment than those passing through the lower part thereof.

Instead of depositing the dirt, &c., from the screen 21 in the compartment 20 and remov ing it at 28, I may provide meansfor conveying the same into compartment 15,111 box 2, or elsewhere, as shown in dotted linesin F1g. 1.

The entire apparatus may be inclosed 1n box 2 for shipment or storage, the screen 4 dropping within the top of the box and resting on the pro ection 9, and the box 19,w 1th its screen, guide-plates, deflectors, &c., being placed within the compartment 17.

Although I have described my in vention as a fruit cleaner and grader, it is evident that it may advantageously be used for cleaning and grading many other substances, such as grains, peas, beans, &c., and with but slight change of construction for grading and sort ing larger fruits and vegetables, such as ap ples, potatoes, and the like, or even for other substances or articles, such as sand, gravel,

&c., and for this latter purpose the form of screen shown in Fig. 4 is particularly applicable.

In adapting my apparatus to the various uses to which it is applicable it will only be necessary usually to slightly vary the proportions of the various parts, the size of the screen-wires, the spaces between them, the. It is also evident that I may substitute for the screen 4 a continuous solid surface, for the purpose of sorting and grading certain fruits and other articles, without departing from the scope of my invention. With this construction the fruit or other articles to be assorted and graded, after passing over the screen 21 and solid surface 4 to the foot thereof would be deposited in the compartments 1G or 17, according to their relative form, size, and quality, and corresponding rapidity of motion, as hereinbefore described in relation to the fruit, &c., too large to pass through the screen 4 when such screen is used. I may also dispense with the use of the box 19 and screen 21, and other features of construction shown in cleaning or grading certain classes of articles, or I may employ, separately and independent of the others, elements of my apparatus for a similar purpose, and in addition to the changes, alterations, and modifications herein specified, and man yothers that will suggest themselves, I may substitute for the screen 21 one made similar to screen 4, and it is evident that many other changes and alterations in the construction and combination of the various elements of my apparatus may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, and I do not limit myself to any particular form of construction, or fruit or articles to be cleaned or graded thereby.

Having now fully described my said invention, its construction, and operation, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an apparatus for grading fruit and other articles, the combination of abox, as 2, provided with separate compartments, as 15, 1G,and 17, a screen, as 4, pivoted in said box over said compartments, and plates or diaphragnis 29 and 31, and the pivoted deflector 30 for directing the foreign substances, the imperfect and the perfect'fruits or other articles each into one of said compartments,substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the box 2, having the separate compartments therein, the screen 4, hinged at one end within said box, the box 19, supported by screen 4 on the end thereof opposite the hinge and provided with screen 21, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a separator and grader, the combination,with the box 2, having separate compartments therein, of the screen 4 and the pivoted deflector 30 for directing the sepa rate products of the screen into the separate compartments, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of the boX 2, having the separate compartments, the screen 4, pivoted at one end therein, and means for directing the separate products of the screen into the separate compartments, and the box 19, having the screen 21 and the compartment 20, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of the box 2, having the separate compartments therein,tl1e hinged or pivoted screen 4, the diaphragms and pivoted deflector for directing the separate products of the screen into the separate compartments, and means for adj usting the height of the head of the screen, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the box 2, provided with the screen 4, hinged therein, the box 19, supported by the screen 4 at the end opposite the hinge and provided with a screen 21, means by which articles, after passing over screen 21, are conducted to screen 4, and devices for adjusting the inclination of the screens, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a separator and grader, the combination of the box 2, having the hinged screen 4, the compartments arranged therein, the inclined plates or diaphragms, and the pivoted deflector 30 with the box 19, having the screen 21, the pivoted or hinged guide-plates 24 and 25, and provided with a passage forming a communication between screen 21 and screen 4, substantially as shown and described.

8. A screen or separator consisting of a frame having the end pieces 5 and 6, the bridge 7, and the wires 8, in combination with the eyebolts 12 and thumb nuts 13, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a separator and grader, the box 19, provided with the screen 21, and the pivoted guide-plates 24 and 25, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a separator and grader, the box 19, having the compartment 20, the screen'21, covering said compartment, the guide-plates 24 and 25, and the open passage beneath the guide-plate 25, substantially as shown and described.

WVILTON II. PERRY.

Witnesses:

B. M. PERRY, O. L. DAVIS. 

